1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to agricultural formulations containing silicone surfactants and to methods for use thereof. More particularly, the formulations of the present invention contain certain combinations of silicone surfactants by which improved, synergistic agricultural efficacy is obtained.
2. Description of Related Art
Agricultural formulations can be in the form of solutions, emulsions, suspensions, dispersions and the like, and are used in agriculture for applying agricultural chemicals to plants, soil, insects and the like. Among typical agricultural chemicals are pesticides such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, growth regulators and the like. Other typical agricultural chemicals include plant nutrients and micronutrients.
Such agricultural formulations can contain surfactants such as trisiloxane surfactants and other silicone surfactants to enhance spreading when the formulations are applied in agriculture. However, use of silicone surfactants in agricultural formulations have been only partially effective in causing quick (less than about 60 seconds) disruption of arthropod mobility, i.e. “knockdown” (KD), even though there has been a need in the consumer market for liquid pesticidal ready-to-use products, which provide faster knockdown.
For example, known formulations often require as much as one-quarter hour or more to obtain acceptable knockdown levels against difficult to control arthropod pests, such as American cockroaches, (Periplaneta americana). In this regard, it should be noted that the term “arthropod” as employed herein means any invertebrate of the phylum Arthropoda including insects, spiders and other arachanids, crustaceans, and myriapods and other household pests. For purposes hereof, cockroaches are specifically to be considered to fall within the definition of arthropods.
Furthermore, although silicone surfactants have been employed extensively in herbicidal formulations as well as other applications, there has been a need in the agricultural consumer market for liquid ready-to-use products which provide enhanced efficacy when applied to substrates.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide agricultural formulations containing silicone surfactants which provide improved knockdown rates, preferably, of about 80% or more when applied to arthropods and particularly to difficult to control arthropods such as cockroaches as well as methods for their use.